The 2026 NCAA Tournament begins on Friday, May 29. Here is World Baseball Network’s preview of the 2026 Austin regional.
Austin Regional – Disch-Falk Field
No. 1 – Texas Longhorns (40-13, 19-10 SEC) – Number Six National Seed
The Texas Longhorns are coming off a massively successful 2026 regular season and are hosting a regional at Disch-Falk Field once again. The Longhorns have been great in Austin this season with a 29-4 record.
Anthony Pack Jr. has been incredible for Texas in 2026. The freshman from Lakewood, Calif. has a .353 batting average with 16 doubles and 45 RBIs. Pack was named the 2026 SEC Freshman of the Year.
Aiden Robbins was the 2026 SEC Newcomer of the Year after transferring into Austin from Seton Hall. In over 200 at-bats, Robbins has a .341 batting average with 19 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Texas starting pitcher Dylan Volantis is another big-time player to watch. In 76 2/3 innings, he has a 2.00 ERA, a sub-1.00 WHIP, and 109 strikeouts. Volantis has also allowed an opposing batting average of .184.
The Longhorns have the firepower and starpower to make a run at the 2026 national championship. Texas has not been to the College World Series since 2022.
No. 2 – UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (38-18, 22-8 Big West)
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos brought home the Big West regular season title for the third time this decade. The Gauchos are making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last six years as well.
UC Santa Barbara has a bona fide ace in their pitching staff in Jackson Flora. He has put up a ridiculous stat line in 2026. In 94 1/3 innings of work, Flora has a 1.05 ERA with 124 strikeouts. With an 11-0 record on the mound, Flora provides the Gauchos with a shot at winning against any opponent they play.
UC Santa Barbara enters the Austin regional motivated to win it. The Gauchos have not been to a super regional in a decade.
No. 3 – Tarleton State Texans (37-19, 12-6 WAC)
The Tarleton State Texans are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a Division I school. The last time they played postseason college baseball was in 2018, as a Division II program.
The Texans won the Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles this year. It was Tarleton State’s second regular season conference title in three years.
No. 4 – Holy Cross Crusaders (25-28, 13-13 Patriot League)
Despite a below .500 season, the Holy Cross Crusaders won the Patriot League Tournament title for the second-straight season. The Crusaders are looking for their first NCAA Tournament win since 2017.
2026 Austin Regional Schedule
Fri. May 29 – Holy Cross vs Texas – 1 p.m. ET – SEC Network
Fri. May 29 – Tarleton State vs UC Santa Barbara – 6 p.m. ET – ESPN+
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: Texas short stop Temo Becerra (1) prepares to compete against Incarnate Word during an NCAA baseball game on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
